Webbs 1500!

Well I said his recent 800m was poor

3:37 in March is very good

In team sports people critisize other teams players so its just like that really (although with teams there is no real reason to do it as most of the athletes have left college) But I wouldn't take it too seriously

They also get carried away with that mile time - look at his 1500m time, while still an elite level time, it's a lot further down the lists

However, runners do find a runner like Webb frustrating because although we are massively slower we think we would be able to run closer to our pr's, expecially with the back up pro's receive

you preachy jack off

Bosh doesn't hit 3s people comlpain

it sports

passion for somthing isn't all sacchriny hugs

I would like to go on the record as someone who thinks Webb will do really well this year.

He will make the WC team w/ Wheating and Monzano (Lomong gets left out)

He will run 3:31'ish (which I believe is around his PR)

He will come back after the WC to run a 5k and run 13:low. If he runs 2, he'll break 13:00.

If Ben St Lawrence can take 4 years off and get fat and come back and run as well as he has, I have zero doubt that Alan Webb can be on and off injured for 2 years (but still not even completely out of the game) and come 100% back.

The only way Webb doesn't do well is if he gets injured or if he makes some massive tactical mistake.

But on the tactical side, I expect him to be in such good shape by Nationals, that as long as he is confident, he wins the race going away. Only Wheating has the talent and head to stay with him. Lomong and Monzano will be fighting for the 3rd spot.

3:37 is a very good result for Webb at this time of year. It stacks up with his best (if not his best) winter time. If he ran 3:55 on one of the hyper-fast Armory, Washington, Arkansas, Boston tacks, everyone would be thrilled. Yet for some reason, running the same time while beating the Olympic silver medalist and being right behind the Olympic gold medalist, is a poor result? Anyone bashing that result is crazy.

you guys are idiots...

he ran 3:37 in a 3:36 race... Get REAL!

Say he ran 3:41 in a 3:40 race?

Would he all of a sudden be even more washed up

I'm sorry.. but this is an AWESOME result

kent tekulve wrote:

Another way to look at it is Isaac Songok, he of 12:48 legend, just ran 13:38 in Melbourne, a performance about equal to Webb's 3:37.82. While it is true that Songok's 12:48 is superior to anything Webb has done at any distance, it is also true that both have been injured and struggling. Would you call Songok's 13:38 encouraging? If so, you are a fool, and if not, then why is Webb's equally mediocre effort?

Actually, an equivalent performance for Isaac (compared to Webb's 3:37) would have been somewhere around 13:16. If he had indeed run 13:16, yes, I would have called that encouraging.

Isaac running 13:38 is more like Webb running around 3:43, which is a much different scenario.

kent tekulve wrote:

Another way to look at it is Isaac Songok, he of 12:48 legend, just ran 13:38 in Melbourne, a performance about equal to Webb's 3:37.82. While it is true that Songok's 12:48 is superior to anything Webb has done at any distance, it is also true that both have been injured and struggling. Would you call Songok's 13:38 encouraging? If so, you are a fool, and if not, then why is Webb's equally mediocre effort?

chauncey wrote:

Actually, an equivalent performance for Isaac (compared to Webb's 3:37) would have been somewhere around 13:16. If he had indeed run 13:16, yes, I would have called that encouraging.

Isaac running 13:38 is more like Webb running around 3:43, which is a much different scenario.

Thanks, chauncey. 3:37.82 is worth about 1136 points on the IAAF tables, which matches up with 13:20. 13:38 gives you 1074, which matches up to 3:42.5 roughly.

I can't believe this fool got away with saying that for so long.

kent tekulve wrote:

READ THIS SLOWLY: 10 years later, Alan Webb is back to his high school level...

But that's great! He was so good in high school, afterall.

why is kent tekulve so damn cynical? i don't understand how you think 3:37 isn't a good result. and why you keep saying he is back to high school. he ran 3:53 at his peak in high school. he just ran a 3:55-equivalent 5 months out from his peak. obviously he is on an entirely different level than when he was in high school, its just downright idiotic to argue anything else.

but since you like comparing him to his high school times so much. let's do a real comparison. 4 months and one week before he ran 3:53.43 he ran 3:59.86, that's 6.5 seconds difference between his two times. so this week he ran 3:37, he has 5 months before he has to peak. so take off 6.5 seconds and he's down at 3:31-low. not exactly back to high school. now sure you can say his 3:59 was indoors, but now he also has a few extra weeks than the 4 months 1 week when he made that time drop. also through in the fact that he didn't train much in january so he is still gaining fitness from losing it then, so he is gaining fitness quicker right now, plus the fact that he's been injured and out of racing for a few years, so likely he will gain fitness even faster as he gets in shape. don't really have to try to hard to see him running 3:30/1 in july/august.

wqqqqqqqq wrote:

Thanks, chauncey. 3:37.82 is worth about 1136 points on the IAAF tables, which matches up with 13:20. 13:38 gives you 1074, which matches up to 3:42.5 roughly.

I can't believe this fool got away with saying that for so long.

http://www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/Competitions/TechnicalArea/04/33/41/20110124082825_httppostedfile_IAAF_Scoring_Tables_of_Athletics_2011_23299.pdf

Indeed. To get the 13:16 figure, I compared the distance in IAAF points from their Melbourne races to their PRs.

I agree that Webb's 3:37 for this time of the year is a good sign, but for him to make the USA WC team is a tall order. Wheating, Monzano and Lomong are were Webb wants to get to and it's not like they are going to stand still and wait for him...all three of these athletes have gotten better each year. Btw, don't discount Lomong, he ran a 3:32 two years ago and a 3:32 last year, his season did not end well, but he is still young.

There are about a half dozen 2nd tier milers starting with Torrence, Brown, Leer and Heath, who are about where Webb is now; these guys are not going to just dissapear. You also, have your 3rd tier guys like Acosta, Centrowitz, Ulrey, Fernandez and Jager, etc., you have to expect at leat one of these guys is going to have a breakout in 2011.

I can see Webb running some 3:33s by the end of the season, but to expect him to be in 3:32 shape by June is a lot to ask. - Yes, 3:32 'capability' is what it is going to take to finish top 3 at nationals. I think Webb will have a better shot in the 5k, although the 5k will not be a cake walk either. I am assuming Ritz, Solinski and Rupp will shooting for the 10K.

Except for perhaps the shotput, the mile is going to be the most difficult event to make the team.

you gotta remember that in june yeah he might be in 3:32 shape which is two months before his peak. but those other guys like manzano and lomong are actually 3:32 guys at their peak. so they might only have a 3:33 in the by june. remember you can't say that Webb(a 3:30 guy) will only be in 3:32-3:34 shape in june (not in top form) but then go on to say that everyone else will be in top form so they'll be running what webb does. unless these 3:32 guys peak for USATF's and just don't care about World's they are gonna run up against a Webb that is ready for them in every way, stronger and faster.

people seem to confuse the fact that Webb has been injured (and maybe overtrained?) for the past 3 years. that is very different from being over the hill and running poorly cuz he's too old. he hasn't suddenly magically lost his talent. he's not gonna go from being a 3:30/3:46 guy to a 3:33/3:50 guy while still being in his peak years. he hasn't been around these past few years because he's been hurt, not because he is suddenly not good anymore. if he stays healthy the rest of the year, expect him to be probably just off 2007 shape this year. lets not forget that last year he couldn't even run till the beginning of june and ran 3:36 in september, he clearly hasn't lost a step!

Lomong, Manzano, and Wheating are gonna have to have the race of their life to challenge Webb at USATF's.

but wrote:

Lomong, Manzano, and Wheating are gonna have to have the race of their life to challenge Webb at USATF's.

Um, Wheating ran, after an incredibly long season, just after graduating, an 800 and 1500 not far off Webb's all time best. If Wheating doesn't improve at all next year, he will be better than Webb UNLESS webb runs as good as he ever has. So WEBB will need to run the "race of his life" (or equal to it) to beat Wheating. And Manzano and Lomong are 3:32 guys, so if they are at the level again, or slightly faster (3:31.xx) , again, Webb will also need to be in near PR shape to beat them. I wouldn't be surprised if he beat those two, but he will NEED to be back at or near his all-time best if he wants to beat those three. there is no guarantee he will get there, or that if he if does get there (condition-wise), his head will also get there.

Good luck Alan Webb, but expecting him to jump from "early season 3:37" to 3:30 race of his life just at the right time, is a huge assumption.

Webb is on a different planet when he is in top shape. What other athlete in the WORLD, can run 1:43-27:30? And the 27:30 was pretty chill and kick by Ritz. Webb could legitimately end his career with 1:43, 3:29, 3:46, 12:50, 26:50 PRs... all while wasting his best years as a head case. Has there ever been anyone with that sick of a range? Komen... Geb... El G... anyone else?

MAYBE Wheating could match his 800 speed with a lot of work. MAYBE Lomong could match his 5k (doubtful, but his indoor 3k in college showed promise, and training with Jerry... who knows). But there is no one both as fast and aerobically strong as AWebb in the US, and likely, at this time, in the world.

He is an complete and utter freak of nature. I honestly believe he is one of the most talented runners to ever live. If he had a head like Morcelli, El G, Haile, Bekele in their primes, Good God what he could have done.

Not sure how anyone would think its a good idea to bet against that.

Much more importantly, Songok placed 9th, beating, well... no one of note. As so many others have pointed out, Webb beat the Olympic silver medalist and almost nipped the Olympic champion. 3rd is not a bad place to be folks, not in a field like that.

Even if you don't think Webb's time is good (which I do - I think it's great and the perfect place to be right now), racing is about place. I'll continue to expect great things from Webb, and kent can go on brooding about how he'll never be even close to as fast as Webb in any shape!

@T Rexing,

that was a typo i meant to just say lomong and manzano, not wheating. although i'm not sure how you are trying to turn it around? doesn't really make sense. Webb's PR is faster than Wheating's. So Webb doesn't need to have the race of his life to beat someone who has not run as fast as he has. But yes he does need to be on his game obviously, as does Wheating to have any shot at beating with Webb. But as to the others, Webb and Wheating clearly have more talent than Manzano, Lomong, etc. In the next couple years as Lagat loses a couple steps from his 1500 I think you are gonna see a clear divide between Webb/Wheating and everyone else. We could have Webb/Wheating running 3:28/29 while the chase pack is running 3:31-3:33 (if this happens welcome to US domination in the 1500/mile!). I'm assuming Webb will be beating Wheating cuz I think he's a much stronger runner and they will probably end up having similar speed, so Alan's strength I think will generally win out.

You guys need to keep this race in perspective. It means little more than Webb has been sick, etc. during indoors (i.e. nowhere near 100%). This 3:37 is a big step in the right direction and should be a much-needed confidence boost. And that's really what it boils down to with Webb- having the patience and faith that his training and fitness level will produce results; staying healthy; and building confidence. When he's fit (ie not injured/sick) and confident, he will dominate again. Ridiculous talent.

you are correct Francis eL.

on a side note, i'm glad to see Salazar putting Rupp in a Half and talking about how running is running, its not a big deal to run different distances, doesn't mean you can't still focus on your main event. i like this cuz I'm hoping it'll mean since Alan is gonna be racing more often under Salazar he will get in different events more often to push his unbelievable range. He's probably the most talented 800-10k runner in history, if Salazar has him run some 5000's each year and a 10k every once in a while he could challenge the American Records at many events: 1500, mile, 3k, 2mile, 5k, 10k! that would be exciting. here's hoping for a 3:27/3:44/7:26/8:03/12:48/26:45 career!

but wrote:

He's probably the most talented 800-10k runner in history, if Salazar has him run some 5000's each year and a 10k every once in a while he could challenge the American Records at many events: 1500, mile, 3k, 2mile, 5k, 10k! that would be exciting. here's hoping for a 3:27/3:44/7:26/8:03/12:48/26:45 career!

It seems you're missing a "t" at the end of your name, as you sure appear to be talking out of your "butt." The most talented 800-10k runner in history? I assure you, Webb is a fine runner, but no need to engage in hyperbolic pulsating orgasms...his best days are in the rear view mirror, much like your "butt."

If someone has some free time (kent tekulve, I nominate you) I would be interested to see what the IAAF point total is for AWebb if you add up his prs over 800, 1500, mile, 5k and 10k. Who out there would beat him? El G if he ran a 10k surely would get him, but does he have a fast 800 time? Komen... but same... no 800 time.

There are few, in history, with his range. I would put Alan in the top 5 ever in terms of range. Not sure why that would be hard to see.

Ironically, if he were African, everyone would be talking about how filthy he is... when you would think just the opposite would be true (the fact that he is American, I would think, would bring a bigger reaction). Instead, you get these lug-heads who refuse to acknowledge his talent and want to make him out to be just OK. Strange.